Real-Time Court Decisions and Other Developments in Asbestos Litigation.
Jurisdiction: Supreme Court of New York, New York County On July 22, 2021, plaintiffs filed a complaint alleging asbestos exposure. Plaintiffs’ complaint specifically claims that asbestos exposure caused plaintiff Victoria Pawlowski to be diagnosed with peritoneal malignant mesothelioma after undergoing laparoscopic surgery, resulting in a nodule to be removed from her peritoneum. Defendants filed a …
U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana Plaintiff Robert Stephen Sentilles was diagnosed with mesothelioma in October 2020. He filed his suit asserting negligence and strict liability claims against several defendants, including Avondale. Plaintiff alleged his illness was the result of asbestos exposure from the 1950s to the 1980s. More specifically, he alleged …
United States District Court for the Northern District of California In this wrongful death action, it is claimed that Decedent William Ankiel Jr. had exposure to asbestos-containing equipment during his service aboard a Navy vessel. Mr. Ankiel served in the U.S. Navy as a boiler room technician aboard the USS Hollister from October 1975 to April …
Court of Appeal of Louisiana, Fourth Circuit In this action, plaintiff Climmie Craft filed suit in this matter asserting that she contracted asbestos-related lung cancer as a consequence of her take-home exposure to asbestos while laundering the asbestos-contaminated clothing of her husband, Jerry Craft. Mrs. Craft alleges that her husband was exposed to asbestos while …
Court of Appeal of Louisiana, Fourth Circuit In this action, the plaintiffs alleged decedent Vita Chenet had asbestos exposure from personal use of various talcum powder products, including Cashmere Bouquet, throughout her lifetime. As a result of this asbestos exposure, the plaintiffs further claimed Ms. Chenet developed malignant mesothelioma in October 2018 and passed away …
Court: Superior Court of Pennsylvania Decedent Thomas Constantine was diagnosed with mesothelioma in December 2016. Mr. Constantine’s estate alleged that his mesothelioma was caused by exposure to asbestos during his employment as a draftsman and designer at Lenox Instrument Company between 1974 and 1981. During that time frame Lenox manufactured heat shields for Lightsource products, …
Court: Fourth Judicial District Court for Multnomah County, Oregon (Portland) On September 13, 2024, Oregon state court judge Katharine Von Ter Stegge granted defendant Johnson & Johnson’s motion to overturn a $260 million verdict and to hold a new trial. By way of background, in June 2024 a jury awarded plaintiff Kyung Lee $200 million …
Jurisdiction: United States District Court for the Middle District of Louisiana Plaintiffs Claudette Washington Skidmore and Courtney Skidmore Williams brought claims against several defendants after the death of their husband and father, Kurt Lawrence Skidmore. Plaintiffs’ claims relate to defendants’ “mining, processing, manufacturing, installation, maintenance, sale, distribution, and/or use of asbestos and asbestos-containing products”. Plaintiffs …
Jurisdiction: United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana Plaintiff Irma Lee LaGrange filed a motion in this asbestos action seeking the court to decline supplemental jurisdiction and remand to state court. Defendants Huntington Ingalls Inc. (Avondale), Hopeman Brothers Inc. and other defendants opposed the motion to which LaGrange filed a reply. LaGrange …
Superior Court of Delaware, New Castle In the asbestos action Burhenn v. Celotex Asbestos Settlement Trust, the court granted defendant Celotex’s motion to dismiss on the grounds that the complaint was untimely filed. In 1990, the Celotex filed for bankruptcy. Subsequently, a settlement trust was created to pay claims of persons who had pending asbestos …